Because, well, let’s face it – I would pretty much always win.
I’ve really learned to embrace my slowness over the past couple months. I didn’t come into the acceptance phase easily, but I got there. And I remind myself each week that running alone at the back of the pack is making me a very independent runner with an impressive skill for reading the coach’s horribly written (and usually at least slightly incorrect) directions. Being the slow runner on my team is just who I am. Finishing my team training runs last in the group is just what I do. And I do it well.
Maybe a little too well.
Last Saturday, my last place finish was just all out impressive. We had an All-Team Picnic with Team in Training, so all the running, cycling, walking, hiking, and triathlon teams from the Harrisburg, Lancaster and York areas all met to train together in the morning, then enjoy a picnic after training.
There were over 70 people there total, and in the group were three different running teams. Out of the three different running teams, I STILL managed to be the very last person to finish the training run!
Now tell me that’s not just beyond impressive.
I mean, to finish last in my own group is expected, but when every single runner out of three teams finishes before you, well, that just takes last place to a whole new level. Really, there should be some sort of award for that.
Ok, now granted, the coach wouldn’t let me run the entire thing because I’m still coming back from my knee injury – and he wasn’t letting me out of his sight for fear I’d cheat and run more than I should, so I had to walk about half of the mileage, which obviously didn’t help my last place cause.
And granted it was also on the hottest day of the year so far. One weather station had the heat index at 109 on Saturday, and it was easily over 100 by the time our run ended. We were all roasting as we ran! And granted, the two people out of the entire group who were truly slower than I was both ended up feeling awful from the excessive heat and were picked up by a staff member in a lovely air conditioned car and taken off the course, leaving me alone at the back of the pack once again with the coach.
At least it’s a familiar place for me – the back of the pack, that is. Now where’s my prize?
Oh well. The good news is that despite my walk/run combo training on Saturday, I survived the 8 miles in the 100+ degree heat, and my knee seems to be healing nicely. It’s still not 100%, but it’s very close. I’m even back to fully running this week, though I’m still taking it very slowly as I work my mileage back up.
And on a really cool note – look at all these people who came out to train on Saturday. Every single person here is running to to find a cure for blood cancers. Every person here is training like crazy and raising thousands of dollars for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. What an amazing group of people supporting an amazing cause. I’m so proud to be part of this team!
So I’m officially back out and running this week and just trying not to push too hard. I survived 3.5 miles yesterday and 5.5 miles today. It was definitely harder than it should have been (note to self – when you map out a new run, make sure the last mile of a 5.5 mile run isn’t straight uphill), but after almost 2 full weeks of not running, really, I shouldn’t be surprised that I lost a little in my training.
Fortunately, it doesn’t seem that I’ve fallen too far backwards in my training. I just have to force myself to keep the pace a bit on the slower side for at least a few more runs until the knee is 100% healed so I build back up gradually and don’t reinjure it at the same time. It’s all good, though. I’m just happy to be back out and running again!
Ha! Never in a million years did I think those words would come from me!
Taking a nice rest day tomorrow to ease my aching muscles (amazing how much your muscles hurt again after just a short time off!), but I’ll be back for another 5.5 miles on Thursday.
Keep on running,
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